50 Year Old Puerh on Amazon

Teaism wrote:Firstly I wouldn't drive ahead looking at the back mirror. Tea collection should be forward looking. If we think we can find treasure of the past, esp online we are taking a big risk.

Anyway for old tea the storage and condition of the tea is the most important. I have 2 pieces of this tea made in early 80s store by different collectors. The one which stored in sealed plastic bag taste heavenly. The other that was left around exposed don't worth a dime.

So, I am really not sure about quality of this one offered online. Also this tea is not a high end Puer tea as claimed. This tea is rough production tea during that time. I wouldn't buy a cotton rag for the price of silk even the cotton rag is 50 years old.

It is interesting that you said the one in the sealed plastic bag was the best, I thought you were supposed to expose puerh to the air? At least to some degree?

Yes the sealed one taste much better and exposed one is mediocre. The climate here is hot and high humidity. But this is rather controversial topic. I look forward to ask everyone here again the same question in 30 years time on how their tea turn out to be.

Teaism wrote:Yes the sealed one taste much better and exposed one is mediocre. The climate here is hot and high humidity. But this is rather controversial topic. I look forward to ask everyone here again the same question in 30 years time on how their tea turn out to be.

I believe that storage has to be adapted to climatic conditions (including micro-climate), to some degree at least.For example, i have tasted several teas naturally stored in KL which i found to be a bit too off, just too much humidity and heat. Some teas i have forgotten here in Bangkok in a stuffy box had the same off taste. I keep my teas here in a airy place, not in a humid corner in the house. I guess that in a less humid climate i have to look for a more humid corner in a house/apartment to store tea.It makes sense to keep as much humidity as possibly away from the tea in an overly humid climate. Slightly slower aging process is definitely preferable to stuffy taste and smell.

Teaism wrote:Yes the sealed one taste much better and exposed one is mediocre. The climate here is hot and high humidity. But this is rather controversial topic. I look forward to ask everyone here again the same question in 30 years time on how their tea turn out to be.

I believe that storage has to be adapted to climatic conditions (including micro-climate), to some degree at least.For example, i have tasted several teas naturally stored in KL which i found to be a bit too off, just too much humidity and heat. Some teas i have forgotten here in Bangkok in a stuffy box had the same off taste. I keep my teas here in a airy place, not in a humid corner in the house. I guess that in a less humid climate i have to look for a more humid corner in a house/apartment to store tea.It makes sense to keep as much humidity as possibly away from the tea in an overly humid climate. Slightly slower aging process is definitely preferable to stuffy taste and smell.

Good point and thanks for sharing your experience.

Another point to note is that tea tend to absord its surrounding "smell" and also loose its flavour when left exposed. Even in low humidity climate, it is good to take this point into consideration.